The Suit Magazine

The business, based in Westlake, Ohio, is a small but far-reaching female-owned company that represents businesses and individuals, primarily in the health care industry. 

Dr. Razi holds a Ph.D., from Kent State University, with an emphasis in Organization Development and Career Development.  Razi began her career teaching career development courses for adults and currently teaches management, team building and organizational behavior in the business division of Baldwin Wallace College.  Simultaneously she realized that she had the talents and experience necessary to start her own firm; today, Razi & Associates has been doing business for over 20 years, taking on clients in her own community and as far away as Europe.

Razi’s work has many facets.  A company may contact her because an employee who was identified as a potential manager has not blossomed as expected.  Razi offers, “Maybe the individual does not understand that being a manager involves other roles such as coaching or mentoring employees or even socializing with clients”.  Other organizations might feel that there is a lack of communication between management and lower-level employees.  Still others may seek to amend some unidentifiable source of inefficiency.  No two jobs are the same for Razi & Associates, so she responds with “a plan for organizational and individual effectiveness that is customized to the client,” she said.  “I may interview employees, conduct focus groups or use surveys as part of a possible intervention”.

 Different problems require different assessment tools, she said. “The standard 360 approach—looking at the problem from everyone’s perspective—can be useful, but I like the WSP, or Work Style Preference assessment.  It opens up the conversation between individuals and managers and gets to a deeper level with regard to positions in the company.”  Using the WSP she can “look at the convergence of information about individuals, managers and the job,” she said.    

Working with universities, health clinics/hospitals, manufacturing, organizations as well as counties and municipalities has given Razi a broad perspective.  Razi works hard to bring her expertise to each client to create the best possible solution for the client’s specific concerns.
The changing economy has had an impact on Razi’s work.  “Clients are now seeking help because certain issues can no longer be ignored and need to be addressed within organizations”. Due to the current economic conditions, people are more fearful or cautious about making a career change if they still have a job.  When the economy is good, more people look for new jobs, career changes and executive coaching.”   Razi believes we need accountability and alignment between our vision, values and goals.

We also wanted her insights into the coaching industry as a whole.  She responded:  “It’s a growing industry, with growing pains which will also lead to ethical and licensing issues.”  She urges caution in selecting a coach and making sure the relationship is one that will work for the client.
As for the new heath care bill, Razi analyzes the situation with compassion:  “We need to ensure that we all have health care.  Not having coverage for people with pre-existing conditions is unfair. Capping coverage, canceling a child’s coverage are things that do not make sense,” she said.

In the end, Razi is confident that her business will continue to bring better solutions to companies that want to improve. She is proud of the work she has done so far, and the lessons she has learned along the way. Her advice to young people embarking in her profession is simple: “Be true to yourself and don’t compromise your values.”

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